At last, Theo had unlocked the mystery behind the storage room on the second floor.

>[Having fought against the "single strike" of *Kyle Ragnar*, your evaluation for Tutorial Quest #11 has been upgraded.]

>[Evaluation: S]

>[As an additional reward, you have gained access to the *Inventory* function.]

>[Achieved an S-Rank for the first time.]

>[As a rank reward, you have received the "Blue Key."]

The moment Theo first activated this second ability, following <Observe>, he realized something significant: he could finally use the items he had accumulated as rewards.

+  
**[Inventory List]**

- Beginner’s Ring ×1  
- Beginner’s Necklace ×1  
- Beginner’s Earring ×1  
- Blue Key ×1  

A grid filled with numerous slots like a chessboard opened before him, allowing him to access descriptions of items simply by hovering his finger over a slot.

+  
**[Beginner’s Ring]**

- Type: Accessory  
- Effect: Increases Mana Efficiency by 5%  
- Equip Requirement: Level 5  

+  

**“Increases mana efficiency… by 5%?”**

Theo was shocked. If this were true, he’d just acquired a high-value artifact for free. Mana-enhancing artifacts were typically exorbitantly priced.

Retrieving items from the slots proved easy. He only needed to tap lightly with his finger.

>[Would you like to equip the Beginner’s Ring?]

The ring was plain, appearing to be made from simple copper, with no ornate engravings to signify its power. Yet the moment he slipped it onto his left ring finger, he felt a noticeable change in the flow of mana coursing through his veins.

>[You have equipped the Beginner’s Ring.]

>[Mana efficiency increased by 5%.]

**Thump… thump…**

The circulation of mana felt smoother than ever, as though his heart had grown stronger.

**"It’s real!"** 

Eyes wide, Theo excitedly tried to withdraw the other rewards to equip them as well.

But—

>[You do not meet the equip requirements.]

Unlike the ring, the other items posed a problem.

>[Equip Requirement: Level 10]

Currently, Theo’s level was only 8, insufficient to equip the items.

**“How do I raise my level? Could sparring be enough to earn extra experience?”**

Wrestling with a growing sense of urgency, Theo pondered his next move until he spotted a different item in his inventory.

+  

**[Blue Key]**

- Type: Miscellaneous  
- Effect: Unlocks a dungeon  
- Usage Condition: Discover the corresponding dungeon gate  

+  

**"Blue key? A gate? Could it be referring to the door to the storage room?"**

At that moment, a new quest notification appeared.

+  

**[Tutorial Quest #12]**

Follow the blue light to locate and clear the dungeon.

- Difficulty: C  
- Reward: Material items  
- Failure: ■■  

+  

Later that evening, once Yulius, Evelyn, and Wellington had left, promising to return the following day, Theo finally found himself standing before the door to the storage room.

---

The storage room continued to emit a faint blue glow, visible only to Theo. The color matched the *Blue Key* he now held.

**“This has to be it.”**

Theo inserted the key into the lock.

**Click—**

The lock disengaged, and the door opened on its own.

Revealed beyond was a strange, elongated cave, completely unlike any part of the Camellia Palace.

**“A hidden place like this, inside the Camellia Palace?”**

Inside lay a long, torch-lit tunnel with sturdy floors and intricate murals on the walls. It defied the architectural limits of the palace. Theo, slightly tense, took his first step inside.

**Ding!**

>[You have discovered the dungeon for the first time.]

>[For 24 hours, all experience gained will be doubled.]

>[Clear the dungeon.]

With his right hand resting on his newly equipped sword, Theo proceeded cautiously down the corridor.

Since his previous weapon, the zweihander, had been destroyed by Kyle’s strike, he’d now equipped himself with different gear from his inventory:

+  

**[Beginner’s Training Sword]**

- Type: Weapon  
- Attack Power: 8~12  
- Equip Requirement: Level 8  

+  

**[Beginner’s Training Shield]**

- Type: Armor  
- Defense: 10  
- Equip Requirement: Level 8  

+  

Despite the “training” label, the material quality of both items was decent. With the sword in his right hand and the shield in his left, Theo cautiously continued his descent when he encountered something.

**“A wolf?”**

**Grrrr—**

A large wolf with blood-red eyes advanced slowly toward him. It was massive, at least two meters in height, and appeared more ferocious than any ordinary wolf.

**“Almost like a demonic beast…”**

Then, the creature lunged.

**Bang!**

Theo barely raised his shield in time, the wolf’s jaws clamping down with terrifying force. Yet—

**“When it comes to strength, I won’t lose.”**

With a strength stat of 53, Theo knew he could rely on his power. With a fierce push-off from the ground, he threw the wolf back and thrust his sword at its neck. But the wolf dodged and lunged again, attacking Theo’s side with swift and brutal strikes.

**Bang! Bang! Bang!**

It was faster and tougher than he’d expected, its hide practically impenetrable and its speed difficult to match.

**“If only I could use that flash-like strike… like Father and Yulius did.”**

Theo recalled Yulius’ words before he left the palace.

- A flash of light? Ha! Have you already felt the *Dragon’s Slash*?

- The Dragon’s Slash? Is that its name?

- I don’t know the true name; that’s just what I call it. I named it after the beautiful strike I once witnessed from the Patriarch. Nothing else seemed fitting.

- Then, can you teach me that flash?

- Oh! Seems you really liked it, huh? As a swordsman, it’d be hard not to, after seeing it firsthand.

- I’m asking you to teach me, Yulius.

- Well, what if I made it a condition for you to join the Black Armor Dragon Unit?

- I’ll join.

- Hm…

- Will you?

- Actually… Ha! I have to be honest. It’s not something that can be taught or learned.

Yulius had then worn a wry smile.

- The Dragon’s Slash is a strike only Kyle can unleash.

The one I’ve displayed is merely an imitation.

So, no technique or secret exists; it’s all my conjecture.

- When the Patriarch gave me the title “Black Dragon,” I made the same request. I wanted to learn it. The whole reason I joined Ragnar was because of that strike. But he told me—

This light is not something you learn.

It’s something you attain.

- I didn’t understand him then. But after constant reflection, and after repeatedly attempting to imitate it, I realized that to manifest that light, one must aim for heights beyond imagination.

Recalling this, Theo mentally returned to that striking, single slash.

- If you seek that light, you’ll need to set your sights far higher, Theo. But remember—

Beautiful, radiant, and dazzling.

A trail of pure white light.

- That path will be an incredibly solitary and arduous journey.

Achieving that flash—what Yulius called *Dragon’s Slash*—wasn’t something he could learn instantly.

- The loftier your ambition, the harder the climb.

But…

**“If I keep trying, won’t I eventually reach it?”**

A single, powerful slash. If he focused everything into a single, fatal strike, he might get closer.

With renewed resolve, Theo changed his tactics.

**Bang!**

The shield gave way, unable to withstand the wolf’s powerful bite, and his left arm was soon caught in its jaws.

Pain seared as the wolf’s teeth sank into his flesh and cracked a bone.

But Theo raised his sword high, aiming directly for the wolf’s right eye, channeling his desire to emulate that flash of light.

**Thump, thump, thump…**

His heartbeat thundered in his ears, his focus narrowing until all he saw was the wolf’s eye. Recalling Evelyn’s basic techniques, he thought—

‘I’ll harness only those principles from Evelyn’s sword techniques—ones optimized for speed.’

The wolf tried to retreat, but Theo’s strike was faster.

In that moment, his mind felt sharper than ever, breaking down and reconstructing the elements of swordsmanship he had learned.

**Swish—**

It was the swiftest strike he’d ever executed.

**Thunk!**

His sword pierced the wolf’s eye, penetrating deep into its eyelid.

**“Not deep enough.”**

He had intended to pierce the brain, but the wolf’s reaction was too fast, preventing a fatal blow.

**Howwwl—**

The wolf reared in agony, giving Theo the opportunity to leap onto its neck and lock his arms around it in a chokehold.

Trusting his strength, which had held against the Patriarch’s strike, Theo clung on tightly.

The wolf thrashed wildly to shake him off, but Theo held on with a grip like iron, knowing this was life or death.

Eventually, the wolf’s strength waned, and it slumped to the ground.

**“Hah… hah…!”**

After confirming the wolf was dead, Theo finally let go, his body aching and breath ragged.

>[You have hunted a Dire Wolf.]

>[Gained 12 experience points.]

>[Doubled experience bonus applied, gaining an additional 12 experience points.]

>[Your level has increased.]

>[Remaining monsters on Floor 1: 171]

**"D… damn… It really was a demonic beast… And I have to take down a hundred more of these?”**

Suppressing a wave of nausea, Theo refocused.

**[Strength: 58]**

Pouring his newly gained stats into Strength, he felt his muscles grow denser, restoring some stability to his injured left arm.

**“It’s pointless to spread my stats around now. Focused investment is best.”**

Reaching 50 Strength had made a tangible difference, and if 100 could take him beyond the ordinary, maybe he could even reach the level of true talent.

He was exhausted but undeterred.

**“Just a bit more.”**

If he wanted to unlock the secret to the *Dragon’s Slash*, he had to keep going.

And with the double experience event only available this time, there was no room to stop.

His battered footsteps echoed as he ventured further into the dungeon.